back to article Hubble space 'scope brings its Cosmic Origins Spectrograph back online

NASA has successfully restored another instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope. The space agency has revealed that on November 28, it was able to resume operations of the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph – an instrument installed in 2009 to give Hubble a better chance of gathering data that reveals the temperature, density, and …

  1. Sixtiesplastictrektableware

    To last and do your work

    Oh, man. I love this thing. You think it's done, it gets up for another round.

    Bevvies raised for Hubble and those NASA smarty-pants.

    Freakin' awesome.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Pint

      Re: To last and do your work

      Ditto. I remember many ElReg commenters writing it off for dead when this was first announced. And still it lives.

      It's the Energizer Bunny of spacecraft - it just keeps going and going.

  2. John Robson Silver badge
    Boffin

    JWST isn't really a replacement..

    It's looking at different wavelengths.

    We really need Hubble to be online when JWST is online, so we can calibrate it.

    1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      Re: JWST isn't really a replacement..

      Agreed. It's not because the JWST has "telescope" in the name that it will do the same job as the Hubble.

      The JWST is specialized for looking into infrared. It is a requirement for Science, no argument there, but the only thing that could replace Hubble would be a Hubble II.

      Optical may not the best tool for Science, but it is still mighty useful.

      And it gives pretty pictures.

      1. Tom 7

        Re: JWST isn't really a replacement..

        I have little doubt that a simple frequency shift will result in JWST producing pictures that will match Hubble in jaw/knee collision space.

  3. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    Surely any end-of-life is going to be unplanned. Didn't the planned end-of-life pass long ago?

    Kudos to all who are keeping it running.

    1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

      Not

      according to the Russians (or indeed the Chinese).

  4. Phones Sheridan Silver badge
    Boffin

    Could anyone give Mr Musk a poke or two in the right direction. He seems like the kind of chap who could have the resources to send one of his shiny new Dragons up with a mechanic and his toolkit to give it the once over to get another decade out of it.

    1. John Robson Silver badge

      The problem is getting out of said dragon in your own personal spaceship (an EVA suit)

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like